Apparatus for proportional mixing



Patented July 24, 1951 UNITED STAT-Es PATENT 'oFFicE APPARATUS Foi; PROPRTI'NAL'MIX' '1N lG or PAINTS Myron n. iocoamegnuntingmn Woods, M1011., as's'ignor tofRnshed-Masi Coifpany, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Appiieation January 19, 1949`,seria1No. '71,677

2 Claims. (ol. 33e-2126.72)

This invention relates to an apparatus for mixing together two or more liquids, andit has to do particularly with mixing such materials as paints, lacquers, varnish, oil, thinners, and other` like preparations. l y ,y

More speciiically, the invention is concerned with the provision of an improved apparatus for mixing together a plurality oi paints or paint ingredients to thus obtain certain desired colors or shades. For yconvenience and brevity, the ina-- terial will be referred to by the br-oad term paint In a paint job shop, which is in the business of painting or repairing automobiles or parts thereof and painting repaired parts thereof, a difcult situation is encountered because of a vast variety of colors, or tints or shades. The ordinary job shop, and particularly one of small size or one in a small community cannot be expected to carry a complete stock of all colors. The colors of automobiles are-not only considerable for a given years production, but automobiles of some considerable age Areduire painting and repaint jobs thereto. Accordingly, a system has been devisedwhereby a paint shop may have in stock a relatively few base colors and by mixing these colors through the means of a formula` supplied by paint manufacturers, the desired color, shade or tint may be obtained.

The invention aims to provide an improved device by means of which paints may Vbe proportionally mixed. Generally speaking, a can or container of known size may be used and when this can is properly lled with the correct proportions of the specified base colors, and the contents thoroughly mixed, the desired paint mixture is obtained. The invention aims to provide ima proved level indicator to indicate the level of the contents of the container and also an improved illuminating means for illuminating the contents of the container to thus aid in the ascertaining of the level of the contents. The inven'- tion also aims to provide an improved arrangement whereby al1 mechanism and all `electrical conductors are completely enclosed. The invention also aims to provide an improved device possessing a high degree of accuracy so that the colors may be quickly and correctly made.

An apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention is shown in the accompanying' drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of the apparatus showing a phantom illustration of a container in place on the platform of the device.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken through the apparatus substantially on' line 2L2l cis 2 y'olfrFig l with some parts broken away and some Darts'in'section. s p

Fig. `3 is a-sectional view taken substantially on line 3'-3 of Fig. 2 showing some of the counter mechanism.

Fig. 4 is'a View illustrating the action which occurs in determining the level of the liquid vin the container.Y

5 is a view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 2 illustrating some of the parts in plan and showing other parts in section and with ysome parts cutaway. l

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken substantially on line BLE of Fig. 2 showing the post construction.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail view illustrating an 'adjustment feature of the level indicator.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional View taken substantially on line 8-8 of Fig. 2 illustrating the top construction of the post and showing the illuminating lamps. l

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken substantially on line `9'l of Fig. 1 showing a closure piece for thepost.

Fig. l0 is an' ensmalled side elevation illustrating the apparatus as it is conditioned when a container is vsubstantially full. l

The apparatus, as shown in Fig. l, comprises a hollow base l which is somewhat of banjo shape having an enlarged portion 2 with a platform 3 and an extending portion 4 with a top surface 5 provided with an elongated opening 6 and an opening 1. A partial flange 8 rises from the platform 3 and awv container, su'ch as a can C, may be positioned against the flange. Rising froithe basek is a post4 It). This post, as shown in liig.` 5, is 0fl channel form so that the open channel faces the platform 3 and the open side of the channel is closed by a closure piece li.

. The piece ll may advantageously be formed of sheet metal withside flanges I2 which engage over the sides of the post and snap orloclr behind projections I3 thereon, as shown in Fig. 9.

lOpenrating mechanism is mounted in the base and .mechanism includes a shaft l5 (Fig. 5) Wh h projectsthrough thefwall of the housing port"'i 2 and is provided onits outernend with ail operating wheel l preferably provided with a handle/I1. Abevelled gear or pinion I8 meshes with a gear I9 mounted on a shaft 2 3 and, in turn, coupled to ashaft 23. A gear 24 on shaft 2h3gtur'nsfa' "g'lfefar'rl for rotating a vertical screw meiribe'riii ,tlie' post. This screw member is @shown at 28and its lower end is coupledas at 29 to a stub shaft 3U journalle'd in the housing and connected t gear 25v and which stub shaft is provided 3 with vertical thrust resisting means 3l. Therefore, it will be seen that if the shaft I5 be rotated that the screw 28 is rotated.

The upper end of the screw, as shown at 35, is journalled in a supporting member 36 secured to the top of the post, and the top of the post has a supporting plate 38 which is fastened in position by screws 31.

There is a split tube member 40 which surrounds the screw and has at its lower end a nut member 4I which is threaded to the screw. A pair of guide rods 42 with lower ends anchored at the bottom of the post and the upper ends anchored in the plate 38 lie on opposite sides of the tube 40 and the nut 4| has extending parts, notched at 43, for slidably engaging the guide rods and the nut may also engage a rib 44 formed in the back of the post.

The split guide tube is arranged to extend slidably through the plate 38, as indicated in Fig. 8, and the member 36 extends between the edges of the split tube and thereby constitutes a key to prevent rotary movement of the tube while the member 36 is enlarged at its inner end and thus forms and internal guide for the tube. It will be seen from this constructirjin that the screw is rotated, the nut and the tube 40 may be raised and lowered with the nut accurately guided by the rods 42 and rib 44 and with the tube guided also by the plate 3B and the member 36.

At the top of the post is a body for sockets for receiving electric lamps 5I which are covered by a shield 52 arranged to direct the light downwardly. The current for the lamps may be provided by electrical conductors 53 which pass into the housing 2 and the current may be reduced as by means of a transformer 54 extending from which are wires 55 which extend upwardly in the post I0.

On the top of the tube 4U is a head 51 which partially overhangs the platform 3 and depending from this head is a rod 53 for indicating the level of the liquid in the container. The rod freely slides through an opening in the head and may be set by a set screw 60. The upper end of the rod is screw threaded and mounted thereon is a head shaped nut 6I and a lock nut 62.`

The lower end of the indicator rod has a blade thereon. This blade is formed of relatively thin sheet metal and the lower edge 66 is straight and positioned horizontally. Thus, the lower edge presents an elongated narrow knife-like formation.

Gperated by the shaft 2|] are a series of counting mechanisms visible through the opening 6. As indicated there are four of such counters 10, l l, 12 and 13 which are respectively for use with cans of pint, quart, half gallon and gallon sizes, and indicia preferably are placed on the top wall 5 as indicated in Figs. l and 5. The counters are driven by shaft 14 and it will be noted that the driving gears therefor are of different sizes, as indicated at 15, 16, 11 and 18.

A shield arrangement is provided so that only one counter is visible at a time through the elongated opening 5. This shield has an elongated curved body with a series of offset openings 3| therein and the shield is pivotally mounted on an axis 82. An operating finger piece 83 pro-- jects partially through the opening l' and it is attached to the shield and in cooperation with the shield is a detent arrangement for holding the shield in any one of its selected positions. This detent may comprise a series of recesses 85 in a plate 86, the plate also serving to provide a journal support for the shaft 14 and an arm 81 provided with a spring pressed ball for snapping into any of the recesses 35.

The operation of the device is effected by the turning of the handle I1 and this, as above described, rotates the screw, causes an elevation or a lowering of the tube 40 and the head 51 and also operates all four of the counters. In the use of the apparatus an empty can of selected size is ,placed on the platform 3, as shown by the drawings. If the can is a quart size, the shield 86 is adjusted so that the counter 1| `is visible and the' other counters are shielded. The counter selected will be the one which corresponds to the size of the container. The counters are preferably arranged to indicate the contents of the containers in one thousand increments. With the can empty the handle is turned until the counter shows a zero reading. At this time, the rod 58 is adjusted so that the blade 65 rests on the bottom of the container and then it is locked in this position as by means of the said screw 60. The operator now refers to the formula for the paint to be mixed and to demonstrate this operation, a sample formula will be given. This sample formula calls for parts of lacquer thinner. The operator turns the handle until the counter shows 100. "ihiselevates the gauge rod 100 increments. Thinner is now poured into the can and the operator watches the rising surface of the thinner and when the surface approaches the blade edge tt a meniscus is formed as the thinner contacts the blade and as diagrammatically represented at M in Fig. 4. This occurs quickly and the curvature ofthe surface of the thinner gives a definite light reflection so that the operator can easilysee it and the operator immediately disccntinues the pouring of the thinner. It will be understood that the two lamps 5I cast light into the container on both sides of the blade so that the operator can notice the formation of the meniscus from almost any position so long as he can see into the can.

The formula shows 816 parts of Chinese blue. So the operator turns the handle until the counter shows 016. The blue paint or lacquer is now poured into the can and as this is done the thinner represented at T in Fig. 4 stays on the surface and rises as the paint is poured into the can. The thinner will contact the blade and the operator then knows that he is to discontinue can until the stop indication as the thinner engages the blade. Finally, the formula calls for 34 parts of fine iridescent and the gauge rod is adjusted upwardly until the counter reads 1000, or rather comes back to the zero reading since only three digits may .be provided on each counter and the iridescent is poured into the can until the level indicating blade shows that 1000 parts of material has been poured into the can.

The proper ingredients having been placed in the can, the same is removed and the ingredients mixed and the desired color, shade or tint is obtained. It is preferred that the thinner be placed into the can first as this material will ride on the surface of the other liquids and does not substantially wet the blade so that in the successive steps of pouring dilferent materials into the container the blade does not need to be wiped. Cans of different manufacturers vary as to their construction and it follows that if the next can Adiffers from the one previously lled, that the gauge rod may be set at the zero reading by the set screw 60. However, if it be known that several identical cans are to be filled, the nut 5I and lock nut 62 may be used to suspend the gauge rod so that the edge of the blade 66 just rests upon the bottom of the can when the selected counter reads zero. In this Way a gauge rod does not have to be set at the beginning of each filling.

I claim: y

1. In a device for the proportional mixing of paint, lacquer or the-like, comprising, means for supporting a container, a vertically adjustable member, a gauge rod slidably mounted in the member and arranged to depend into the container, a set screw for clamping the gauge rod in fixed position relative to said member and adapted for use with containers of diierent types, and adjustable nut means threaded on the upper end of the gauge rod for engaging said member and holding the gauge rod depending therefrom in adjusted position relative to said member and adapted for use with containers of the same type.

2. In an apparatus for the proportional mixing of paint, lacquer or the like, a platform having a part for receiving and supporting a container, a raised portion on the platform for positioning the container, a channel shaped post mounted on the platform adjacent said part of the platform and extending upwardly therefrom with its channel opening toward the said part of the platform, means carried at the top of the post for carrying illuminating means in a position which overlies said part of the platform, a hood on the post for covering the illuminating means and directing light downwardly into the container, a screw journalled in the post, means for operating the screw, a shiitable member threaded to the screw and having a head positioned above the post and above the said hood, said head projecting laterally from the post and in substantial alignment with said hood, a gauge element secured to the head and depending therefrom and adapted to depend into the container for gauging the material in the container, and a cover plate detachably secured to the open side of the channel shaped post.

MYRON D. MCCAULEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 491,800 Farnham Feb. 14, 1893 661,562 Starrett Nov. 13, 1900 952,867 Bergeron Mar. 22, 1910 1,393,746 Bushnell Oct. 18, 1921 2,169,952 Holmes Aug. 15, 1939 2,469,305 Maltese May 3, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 558,463 France May 25, 1923 

